Apr 12 1971

From The Space Library

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Current revision

Tenth anniversary of U.S.S.R.'s Vostok 1, first manned space flight, piloted by Cosmonaut Yuri A. Gagarin. Anniversary was celebrated in Moscow with 6000 guests attending memorial meeting in Kremlin's Palace of Congresses and with Soviet newspapers filled with articles commemorating flight. At Moscow ceremony Mstislav V. Keldysh, President of Soviet Academy of Sciences, said U.S.S.R. was looking forward to time "when man will make interplanetary flights. Tremendous potentialities in the study of the earth's natural satellite were uncovered by the flights of American astronauts to the moon and the development in our own country of new types of automatic lunar stations." Successful operation of U.S.S.R.'s Lunokhod 1 lunar rover represented start of new era envisioned by Soviet scientists, Keldysh said. U.S.S.R. would emphasize unmanned flights with particular stress on long-term orbiting space stations. Cosmonaut Andrian G. Nikolayev told meeting U.S.S.R.'s 1971- 1975 economic plans called for "fundamental development of scientific re-search, with a significant role for lunar and solar investigation."

In letter to Pravda, group of Soviet cosmonauts said "it is our opinion that businesslike cooperation of space researchers of different countries, including the U.S.S.R. and the United States, should develop and grow stronger in the interests of peace and friendship among the peoples of our planet." Soviet Academician Boris N. Petrov said in article reprinted in a number of Soviet journals that "main trend of the next development of cosmonautics and space exploration ... will probably be as follows: Further investigation of near-Earth space, studying the Earth from space for purposes of space meteorology, geology, agriculture, oceanology, and marine and air navigation. The task of constructing space exploration facilities and the usage of outer space for peaceful purposes is the favorable basis for fruitful international cooperation wherein both big and small countries can effectively participate." U.S.S.R. had "always directed its efforts into an arena of peace and international cooperation.... The time is not behind the mountains when the remarkable idea about construction of long-duration, piloted orbital stations will be implemented." Soviet Military Review editorial said Soviet space program had demonstrated "the benefiting the whole of mankind and the contribution to worldwide progress. The Gagarin flight, as all subsequent achievements of Soviet space exploration, demonstrated the organizing and guiding role of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and the inexhaustible potentialities of the socialist social system and of the Soviet economy, science, and technology. Consistency and purposefulness are a feature of the Soviet program of exploration in outer space, on the Moon and on the planets of the solar system." (Yuenger, C Trib, 4/13/71; Shabad, NYT, 4/13/71; UPI, W News, 4/12/71; UPI, LA Her-Exam, 4/12/71; SBD, 4/12/71, 263)

Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins assumed duties as Director of Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. He had served as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs after leaving NASA. (Smithsonian Ann; Smithsonian Pm)

NASA selected Boeing Co. Commercial Airplane Group, General Dynamics Corp. Convair Div., and Lockheed-Georgia Co. to conduct nine-month studies to determine benefits of applying advanced aeronautical technologies to 1975-1985 transport aircraft. (NASA Release 71--66)

NASA announced award of $2-million, one-year, fixed-price contract to General Dynamics Corp. Convair Div. for definition and preliminary design of Research and Applications Module (RAM) that could be attached to space shuttle. (NASA Release 71-67)

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